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The MSW Aboriginal Field of Study with Seven Generations Education Institute is the first Master of Social Work Program rooted in a wholistic Indigenous world view and contemporary social work practice.
The goal is to develop social work practitioners who demonstrate an understanding of, and respect for, the history, traditions and cultures of the Indigenous peoples of Canada. This unique program includes the use of Indigenous Elders, a traditional Circle process, and Indigenous ceremonies.
Aboriginal Social Work @ Laurier/Seven Generations Education Institute
- An innovative MSW degree immersed in an Indigenous wholistic world view
- A part-time MSW program for candidates with a H/BSW
- On leading edge of Aboriginal Social Work in Canada and beyond
Admission Requirements
1. To be eligible for this advanced standing program, applicants must hold a Bachelor of or Honours of Social Work degree from an accredited program in a university or recognized standing.
2. Academic background must include a half-credit course in research methodology. Students in the Aboriginal Field of Study do not require statistics.
3. Applicants must have at least a B (73%) standing in the final academic year of the their (H)BSW degree (equivalent of 10 half-year courses). For students completing their final year of undergraduate study, eligibility is determined on the basis of the last completed academic year at the time of application.
4. Evidence of paid and/or voluntary experience in human service organizations, awareness of contemporary social issues and social work values, demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and motivation for a career as a professional social worker is assessed on the basis of application material.
5. Although this program is open to students of all cultural backgrounds, candidates for the Aboriginal field of study must also have some familiarity with the traditional wholistic healing approach and/or have used it in their practice. This will be demonstrated through a personal statement, references and an admissions interview.
Wholistic Worldview
The MSW Aboriginal Field of Study is rooted with the Aboriginal worldview. Its goal is the development of social work practitioners who facilitate empowerment, self-determination, cultural preservation, and respect for the wholistic healing worldview for all Aboriginal peoples.
Wholistic Context
Students will develop an understanding of how social work practice and intervention with Aboriginal populations is influenced by the history and value system of colonization, and the interrelated and intergenerational impacts of colonization on Aboriginal individuals, families, communities on Canadian colonial policies regarding Aboriginal peoples, on their culture and identity, on their capacity to engage in the Canadian free-market economy, and on their capacity to live within their cultural traditions within Canadian society.
Wholistic Practice
Students are expected to respect and seek to practice within the Aboriginal worldview. Along with intellectual development, students will also engage in the development of their spiritual, emotional, and physical selves. They will be expected to involve themselves in all aspects of the specialized program, which include; cultural camps, ceremonies, classroom work, presentation of themselves to Elders, the circle process, and in practice settings. They will be evaluated on their academic knowledge and their ability to practice from the Aboriginal worldview– using an Aboriginal Wholistic Healing approach with individuals, groups, policies and research, and the application of this knowledge within diverse and generalist practice contexts.
Wholistic Goals
Students are required to fully comprehend this body of knowledge, and actively engage in the consequences of this dynamic to create a more empowering type of reality for Aboriginal peoples. This includes developing a critical analysis of Aboriginal experiences and to develop practiced skills that will help undo some of this legacy. Courses encourage students to examine their own wholistic nature and how this impacts on their own inherent capacity to engage other people’s lives while facilitating a healing journey. Students will be evaluated with regard to traditional knowledge, traditional ceremonies, and their ability to “carry” and express these teachings in a context of their behaviours and practice.
The Practicum
There is only one Field Placement in the part-time program, for three (3) days per week over 2 semesters. Field Placements are in the home community of the student unless otherwise arranged. The agency with which the student is places will offer an experience that is consistent with the traditional wholistic healing approach.
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